Horton Hears a Who: Bats and Blackbirds
by Root Beer Baby
Summary: With their son crying, Ned and Sally hope to comfort him so everyone in the house can get some sleep. Song fic. Completed.
1. Part One: Leatherwing

This is going to be a three part story. It features Ned, Sally and JoJo as a young baby. And as a disclaimer, I don't own Leathwing Bat.

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Part One: **Leatherwing**

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"WHA, WHA!"

Ned O'Malley turned over on his side and yawned. He glanced at the clock; it was only three in the morning. He sighed, hanging his head; it was JoJo.

Yet again.

Next to him, his wife began to move. Ned moved to the edge of the bed and slipped on his loafers. Sally had been up with JoJo for the past two nights. For some odd reason, he had been waking up in the wee hours of the morning. They thoughts that if he was left alone he would go to sleep but that was not the case. With JoJo, he wouldn't be silent until someone came in and held him.

"Honey, where are you going?" Sally asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"I'm going to comfort our son and you are going back to sleep," Ned gave her a small kiss on her head. "You've been staying up to late."

"Sweetie, you don't have to do that." Sally yawned.

"Yes, yes I do." Ned gave her a smile as he headed out of the room.

"WHA, WHA!" Baby JoJo cried.

The door opened and in walked his father. Ned wasn't noticed for his son was still bawling. It wasn't until Ned picked up his baby boy was he noticed. JoJo, however, still decided to cry.

"Come on buddy," Ned walked around a bit. "Can't you go to sleep? Its night time!"

Now Ned realized that this reasoning wasn't going to work with a baby Who. JoJo was only a few months old. He still used his crying as means to communicate. Still, it did take a toll on Sally.

Ned pondered for a second until he came up with an idea. He walked over to the window, his son in hand. Then, he began to gently bounce the little bundle before he began to sing.

_"I," said the little leatherwing bat."_

_I'll tell to you the reason that  
The reason that I fly by night  
Is because I've lost my heart's delight." _

JoJo's crying softened before it completely came to a stop. With his big, round eyes of brown he gazed at his father. He seemed to be listening rather intently for a child his age. Ned grinned and started the next verse._  
_  
_"I" said the blackbird sittin' on a chair  
"Once I courted a lady, fair.  
She proved fickle and turned her back  
And ever since then I've dressed in black."_

JoJo still stared his father, listening to every lyric. Ned walked back towards the crib but JoJo started whimpering. No, he wasn't finished yet. Ned merely ran his fingers across his son's face. This small act made JoJo giggle and coo. Ned grinned and sat down in a rocking chair. Again, his son gazed at him, waiting to hear more of the song.

_"I" said the woodpecker sittin' on a fence  
"Once I courted a handsome wench  
She got scared and from me fled  
And ever since then my head's been red."_

Ned couldn't believe it; he was a daddy. Months had pasted since JoJo had been born but Ned just couldn't get over the fact that he had a healthy, adorable little boy. Every father was proud of their children but Ned felt like the proudest of the mall. This was the true meaning of happiness. Nothing could compare to being a father and a husband.

JoJo yawned; he was starting to wear down. Ned chuckled slightly before he began to sing again.

_"I" said the little turtle dove  
"I'll tell you how to win her love  
Court her night and court her day_  
_Never give her time to say o-neigh!"_

Ned watched as JoJo's eye lids began to droop. But Ned his baby; he wasn't going to go to sleep right away. He was going to try his best to stay awake. Tonight was an unwinnable battle though.

Ned stood up, cuddling his beloved child as he sang the last line of the song.

_"I" said the bluejay and away he flew  
"If I were a young man I'd have two  
If one were faithless and chanced to go  
I'd add the other string to my bow"_

Again, JoJo yawned and his eyes closed completely. Gently, without waking him up, Ned placed the slumbering baby into his bed. Then, he placed a small kiss on the boy's head before he turned around and left.

He entered his bedroom to find his wife fast asleep. A small grin appeared on his face. Carefully, he slipped back into bed, not wanting to wake her up. In her sleep, she rolled on her side and scooted closer to him. Ned gently snuggled against her before he too fell back to sleep.


	2. Part Two:Blackbird

I don't own this song. It belongs to the Beatles.

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Blackbird

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"WHA, WHA!"

Oh, not again.

Sally was the first one up this time. The clock flashed the time two in the morning. That was one hour earlier than last night! What on Earth was she going to do with this baby?

"Mama, I don't want to eat the pancakes." Ned snorted in his sleep.

Sally rolled her eyes but a smile crept onto her face. Taking the blanket, she covered him up and kissed his forehead. Tonight was going to be her turn. Ned, being the mayor, needed his sleep.

"Mommy's here sweetie. Everything's alright," Sally assured her baby. "It's okay, it's okay."

"WHA!" JoJo screamed.

Sally tried her best to hush him but it her attempts were failing. Ned would wake up if he heard his little boy whining. Ned had stayed up with JoJo last night and she didn't want him to do it again. She was the mother, it was her job to stay up with the baby. Ned didn't see it that way though. He thought, as a husband, he had to make her life easier.

What a heart he had.

JoJo continued to cry, breaking her train of thought. Ned would sure hear the noise. She had to think quickly.

Then, it came to her.

Crossing the room, she sat down in the rocking chair and propped JoJo up on her lap. His cries mitigated but he whimpered slightly. Sally gave him a smile before she began to sing.

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night  
Take these broken wings and learn to fly  
All your life  
You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

Those first few verse made JoJo stop all noises. He watched his mother, waiting for more of her singing. Finally, something that could keep him quiet until morning. Sally rocked back a little before she started again.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly  
Into the light of the dark black night.

JoJo gave her an adorable, childish grin. How sweet! There wasn't a single baby in all of Whoville that could beat her son's cutness. Yes, she was just saying that because she was his mother but that didn't matter. JoJo O'Malley was the perfect baby boy and no one could ever tell her differently.

Sally hugged her son closer to her and kept on singing.

Black bird singing in the dead of night  
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see  
All your life  
you were only waiting for this moment to be free

JoJo placed his head down on his mother's chest, nestled within his little blankie. Again, he yawned, his eyes closing before snapping back opened. Sally smiled before she started rocking again. This motion made JoJo's eyes drop a bit more as he fought to stay awake. Sally began her song once more.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly  
Into the light of the dark black night.

JoJo yawned as he nestled into his mother. Now, he had given up fighting his sleepiness. Sally cradled him, hoping he wouldn't open his eyes. He stirred slightly so she quickly started singing her lullaby.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night  
Take these broken wings and learn to fly  
All your life  
You were only waiting for this moment to arise,oh  
You were only waiting for this moment to arise, oh  
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Finally, she placed her sweet child in his crib with his blanket. There, he yawned and rolled onto his side. Sally gave him a small kiss on his cheek before she headed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Ned was still sleeping much to her relief. She quickly placed herself back into the bed. Once she did, her husband wrapped an arm around her waist and nuzzled her gently. She smiled before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	3. Part Three: Close to You

One fan fic down, one to go. BTW, if there are any mistakes, please tell me.

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**Close to You**

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"WHA, WHA!"

Was this couple of new parents ever going to get any sleep?

Hopefully, they would be tonight was not going to be a sleeping night.

Upon hearing their only child crying, both Ned and Sally awoke.

"You, sleep." Ned commanded.

"No, you sleep." Sally returned.

"Honey, you were up last night with him, it's my turn." Ned stood up and yawned.

"But you need your sleep Mr. Mayor," Sally stood as well. "You should be sleeping."

"Sweetheart, you've stayed up with JoJo for so many nights. Let me do it."

"But you already did it!"

Well, this argument was a stalemate. Neither of them were winning or loosing.

"How about this? I'll get JoJo, bring him in here and we'll both get some sleep." Ned compromised.

"Alright, I can live with that." Sally sat down on the bed.

"Good."

Ned hurried to JoJo's room, the infant standing in his crib. He reached out of his father, whining loudly. Ned picked him up and tried to calm him down as he headed back to his room.

Sally had gotten back under the covers. JoJo had his arms around his father and he wasn't letting go. Ned scooted back into the bed, son in hand. JoJo noticed his mother and reached out a tiny hand towards her. She smiled, placing a finger in his chubby hand.

"Well, now what?" She asked her husband.

Ned merely gave his wife a grin. JoJo crawled over his mother, laying next to her with his head at her chest. Ned got eye level with his son and started to sing.

_Why do birds suddenly appear_

_Every time you are near?_

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

Instantly, the crying was replaced with a happy cooing. Sally looked up at Ned, smiling. JoJo slipped out of his father's arms, toddling towards his mother. He placed a head on the pillows between his parents, waiting for more singing. Sally brushed his hair out of his face and started to sing.

_Why do stars fall down from the sky_

_Every time you walk by?_

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

"I remember this song," Sally looked at Ned. "You sang it to me when we started dating."

"Yeah," Ned took hold of her hand. "I remember it like it was yesterday."

_On the day that you were born_

_The angels got together_

_And decided to create a dream come true_

_So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold_

_And starlight in your eyes of blue._

These comments made Sally blush. Back when they still a new couple, Ned would sneak out at night and meet Sally at her house. They would steal away to a secret spot only Ned knew of; a lovely little garden filled with beautiful flowers. Sally was the only other Who that had ever seen it.

There, he would sing this song to her, expressing all of his feelings so clearly that Sally couldn't believe her luck. This Who made her feel like nothing she had never felt before.

"You were such a hopeless romantic," She sighed. "I guess you still are."

Now, it was her turn to sing again.

_That is why all the girls in town_

_Follow you all around._

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

JoJo turned on his side, facing his father. He placed a fat, sausage of a finger into his mouth.

"I remember when I first saw you," Ned told Sally. "My heart wouldn't stop beating."

Ned brushed a lock of JoJo's stray hair out of his face. This made his baby boy smile. Ned scooped him up, placing the toddler on his knees. JoJo smiled with his thumb still in his mouth.

_On the day that you were born_

_The angels got together_

_And decided to create a dream come true_

_So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold_

_And starlight in your eyes of blue._

Ned placed a finger on his son's nose and the baby bubbled with giggles. Sally scooted closer, laying her head on her husband's shoulder and started the next verse.

_That is why all the girls in town_

_Follow you all around._

_Just like me, they long to be_

_Close to you._

JoJo's eyes showed signs of weariness as they started to droop. Sally yawned and pulled the covers up to her chest. Ned placed JoJo between the two of them and laid his head down. JoJo finally yawned and closed his eyes. He was still sucking his thumb and that made the vision of this sweet little baby even more adorable.

Sally placed a hand on her baby and Ned placed his hand on hers. Sally looked at him, their eyes meeting in an intense gaze. She mouthed the last words to the song.

_Just like me _

_They long to be_

_Close to you._

And with that, the happy little family fell asleep.

_Close to you._

_Close to you._

_Close to you._

_Close to you._


End file.
